Clutch device for locating impellers in pump bowls



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HTTORNE Feb. 9, 1932. J. A. WINTROATH CLUTCH DEVICE FOR LOGATING IMPELLERS IN PUMP BOWLS Filed Dec. 10. 192'? :N;IT\ED SATES PATENT oFFcE JOEE A. WINTATH, F L055 ANG-ELES, fJALIFORNLfQ ASSIGNOR. TO PEERLESS BUMP COMPANY, Uh 130$ ANGELFS, GIFQRNIA, A fCQRPOfIQN' 0F CALIFOA y invention relates to pumps and more particularly to a novel apparatus for determining the positionof a turbine impeller in apump bowl. k

The usual form of a deep well turbine pump has a pump head situated at the surface of the ground directly over the well to be pumped. A pump'bowl is secured to the lower end of a discharge pipe which com-.

municates'with the pump head and extends downward into the well, allowing the pump bowl to be placed below the water level of the well. Extending from the pump bowl to the pump head is a shaft-enclosing tubing 7 I which is formed of lengths of pipe suitably,

secured together. This tubing journals a shaft which extends therethrough, the shaft reaching from a prime mover on the pump head to one or more impellers located inthepump bowl. The prime mover is often replaced by a pulley which is suitably driven to turn the shaft and the impellers? Water rises in the discharge pipe to the pump head where it is discharged.

The im ellers operate iin impeller chambers in the pump bowl. These chambers are position of the shaft in order that the im v pellers in the pump bowl may be centralized relative to the impeller chambers thereof. Thus. in first installing a pump, it is common practice to have the impeller resting in the lower portion of the impeller chamber.

When completely. assembled the shaft is drawn upward until the impeller touches the upper wall of the chamber. The final adj 11st ment slightly lowers the shaft agiufiicient distance to centralize the impeller in the impeller chambers.

enn'ren nnvrcu run. roen'rnvo IMPEL in re nowits Application filed Beeember 10, 1927. Serial No. $395,255f.

This method of procedure embodiesmany features of uncertainty but is satisfactory in wellshaving depths not exceeding three hundred feet. Un deeper installation, however,

great dculty is encountered in determinw ing the position of the impellers relative to the impellerchambers after the pump has been lowered into the well. This is due to the stretch in the shaft to the large number of shaft bearings exerting a frictional force 5 resisting any axialmovement of the shaft relative thereto, and to the fact that. such, wells are usually not straight.

It is an object of my invention to provide a device for determining the axial position of a rotatable member relative to a station. any member. It is a further object of my invention to provide a device for determining the axial position of an impeller in an impeller cham 5 her of a deep well pump. '1

- A further object of my invention is to provide such a position-determining device which will revent the impeller from being rotated until it assumes a correct relative to the impeller chamber.

A further object pf my invention is to pro? vide an apparatus which is extremely sim- I ple and fool-proof for determining the position of an impeller relative to an impeller chamber. V

Further objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter. I I l In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a turbine pump embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the clutch of my invention in engaged position.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, a well 10 has a casing 11 set therein and extending to a point near the lower end thereof. Adapt- 90 position ed to be lowered inside-the casing 11 is a pump structure 12 comprising a series of pump bowls 13 having a main bearing structure 14 secured thereto by bolts 15. A discharge pipe 19 joins the main bearing structure 14 with a pump head 20 at the surface of the ground. This discharge pipe communicates with a horizontal discharge pipe 22.

Also extending from the main bearingd structure to the pump head 20 is a shaft-enclosing tubing formed of lengths 26 which be brought out later.

are suitably secured together by bearing members 27 as shown in Fig. 1. The bearing members 27 journal a shaft 30 which extends from a rotor 31 of a motor 32 situated on the top of the pump head 20 down through the tubing 25, the main bearing structure 14, and the pump bowl 13. The shaft 30 is formed. of lengths 33 joined by couplings 34. An impeller chamber 35 of each pump bowl 13 is adapted to surround an impeller 38. Each impeller 38 is keyed to the shaft 30 by a key 39. Each impeller chamber 35 is so formed that the impeller 38 therein is permitted to move a short distance vertically therein if the shaft 30 is raised or lowered a slight distance. The object of this axial movement will As best shown in Fig. 1 the impeller 38 communicates with passages 40 in the pump bowl 13, these passages carrying the pumped fluid upward through passages 41 in the main bearing structure into the discharge casing 19.

Supported by arms 45 in the main bearing structure 14 is a hub 44. The hub 44 has a bore 46 into which a lower bearing sleeve 47 tightly fits. The lower bearing sleeve 47 is adapted to journal the shaft 30 which rotates therein. @ne of the arms 45 has a by-pass opening 51 which communicates between the shaft at the upper end of the bearing sleeve 47 and the exterior of the main bearing structure 14. Threaded into the upper end of the hub 44 by means of threads 52 is an upper bearing sleeve 55 which is also adapted to journal the shaft 30. The upper bearing sleeve 55 is secured from rotation in the hub 40 by means of a set screw 56 extending through the hub and into the upper bearing sleeve 55. A plug 57 allows access to this set screw 56 from the outside of the main bearing structure 14. The upper bearing sleeve 55 extends a distance above the hub 44 and is externally threaded to receive the lower end of the shaft-enclosing tubing 25 as clearly shown at 58. v

The extreme upper end of the upper bearing sleeve 55 forms a lower clutch member 60 which has two projections formed diametrically opposite, as best sh own in Fig. 3. Each projection 61 is adapted to fit in a corresponding opening 62 of an upper clutch member 65 when the projections 61 and the openings 62 are aligned and the upper. clutch 7 1 member 65 is lowered into the position shown in Fig. The upper and lower clutch members 65 and 60 function as a simple jaw clutch when the projection 61 engages the opening 62, thus locking the upper clutch member 65 from rotation. As best shown in Fig. 1, when the upper clutch member 65 is raised a short distance, this engagement ceases and the clutch does not operate to'hold the mem ber 65 stationary. The upper clutch mem-- ber 65 forms a coupling between that length 33 of the shaft 30 above the clutch member and thatlength below the clutch member. These lengths are threaded into opposite ends of the clutch member 65 until they meet and are thus locked together. The upper clutch member 65 is similar to the other shaft couplings except that it has the openings 62 formed in the lower edge thereof. In assembling, the clutch member 65 is so adjusted relative to the shaft 30 that when the clutch members are engaged the impellers 38 rest in the lower portion of each impeller chamber 35, and when the clutch members are just on the point of disengagement, the impellers will be in a position in 'the upper ends of their respective chambers 35.: The distance the impellers are to be moved upward before the clutch members disengage can be varied by varying the height of the projections 61.

The upper end of the shaft 30 has a threaded upper portion 71 which extends through the rotor 31 of the motor 32. Threaded on this upper portion 71 and engaging the upper end of a hub 72 of the rotor 31 is a nut 75. The hub 72 is keyed to the shaft 30 by a key 76 operating in a keyway 78 of the shaft. This keyway is much longer than the key 76 to permit relative axial movement between the shaft 30 and the hub 72. A suitable thrust bearing (not shown) supports the rotor 31, and through it the nut 75 which, in turn, is attached to the shaft 30. Bolts 79 are passed through the nut 75 and thread into openings in the hub, 72, for the purpose of locking the nut 75 from rotation.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

When lowering the pump member into the well, the clutch members are engaged and the impellers are resting in the lower portion of each impeller chamber 38. When in this position the pump is lowered into the well and assembled substantially as shown in Fig. 1. Before operating the pump, it is necessary to axially raisethe impellers 38 so that they will not contact the walls of the impeller chamber 35. I accomplish this by turning the nut 75 when the bolts 79 are removed from place. As the nut 75 istightened, a pull is exerted upward on the shaft 30. After the stretch in the shaft has been taken up, the clutch member 65 will be pulled upward a slight distance. The operator turns t e nut 75 a short distanceand then attempts when the clutch members ture could be made therein.

to rotate the shaft 30 by turning the rotor 31 of the motor 32. If the openings 62 still engage the projections 61, such a rotation will be impossible except insofar as the haft 30 twists above the clutch members 6 and 65. I have found that a shaft may be twisted as high as several complete turns before the operator can accurately determine that the clutchmembers are not disengaged. If then the rotor is released, it will fly back into its former-position. This is an indication to the operator that the nut 75 will have to be turned still more before the clutch members are disengaged. This he does, and again attempts to turn the rotor of themotor 33.' If at this time the shaft rotates freely and does not fly back when released, the operator knows that the clutch members. and are disengaged 6 and that the impeller 38 is free to rebate" with the shaft 30. Thus by short successive turns of the nut the shaft and its attached upper clutch members 65 are raised sufliciently to clearthe projection 61 of the 10 er; clutch member. This distance so designed that isengage, the impeller 38 will be locatedin a predetermined position relativeto the impeller chamber 35. This position is preferably the central position bf theimpeller, audit is desirable to raise the impellers anadditional amount to compensate for-any stretch of the line shaft when the hydraulic thrust builds up. on the impellers. This hydraulic thrust is caused by the hydraulic head of fluid in the discharge pipe which exerts a downward pressure on the impeller 38, thus causing the shaft 30 to stretch and lower the impeller into a central position. a through the nut 75 to lock it, and the pump is ready for operation. i

My invention may be used on wells ofany depth but is vparticularly applicable to wells, the depth of which exceedsthree. hundred feet. ,On wells exceeding one'thousand feet such a device is an absolute necessity if the impeller38 is to be located with any degree of accuracy. I

Furthermore, my invention is not limited to deep well pumps, for it might find utility in any art where it would be advanta cons to locate a part in a definite position w en this part is inaccessible.

My invention is notlimited to the form of clutch shown, for many variations of struc- I claim as my invention 1a In a device for axially centralizing a rotatable member, the combination of: a stationary member; a rotatable member axially movable relative-to said stationary member;

a clutch holding said rotatable member in hon-rotatable.- position relative to said stationary member until said rotatable member is in a predetermined axlal pos1t1on;

and means rotatable relative to said station-' The bolts 79 are then passed .ary member for axially moving said rotatable member relative to said stationary member.-

- 2. In a device for ascertaining the position of a turbine impeller, the combination, of: apum bowl, said pump bowl having an impeller c amber; an impeller in said impeller chamber, said impeller being axially" tive to said chamber.

3. In a device for ascertaining the position of a turbine impeller, the combination of: a pump bowl, said pump bowl having an impeller chamber; an impeller in said impeller chamber, said impeller being axially movable relative to said chamber; means for axially moving said impeller in said chamber; and means preventing the rotation of said impeller until it is in a predetermined axial position relative to said chamber.

4. In a device for ascertaining the posi I tionof a-turbine impeller, the, combination of: a pump bowl, saio pump bowl having an impeller chamber; a shaft extending into said chamber; an, impeller mounted on said i shaft in said chamber, said-impeller being axially movable relative to said chamber; and a clutch for preventing said impeller from rotating until it is in a predetermined axial position relative to said chamber.

5. In a device for ascertaining the position of a turbine impeller, the combination of: a pump bowl, said pump bowl havingan impeller chamber; a shaft extending into said chamber; an impeller mounted on said shaft in said chamber, said impeller being axially movable relative to said chamber; a stationary clutch member carried by said bowl; and a rotatable clutch member carried by said shaft, said clutch members being in engagement until said impeller is oved into a predetermined axial position. a 6. ln a device for ascertaining the position of a turbine impeller, the combination of: a pump bowl situated in a well, said pump bowl having an impeller chamber; afpum head situated at the top of said well; a sha extending between said pump head and said 7 pump bowl; an impeller carried by said shaft 7 in said impeller chamber, said impeller being axiall movable in said impeller chainher by axially moving said shaft; a clutch v acting between said shaft and said pumpbowl, said clutch being -in locked position during installation of said pum bowl 1D. saidwell; and .means'at thetop o sald well for moving said shaft axially to disengage said clutch and allow said shaft to rotate.

7.111 a device for ascertaining the position of a turbine impellerfthe combination of: a pump bowl, said pump bowlhavmg van impeller chamber;- a bearing carried by said pump-bow1;a stationary clutch memher on one end of said bearing; a shaft jour- 4- 1,,a44,es2

naled in said bearing; an impeller mounted on said shaft in said impeller chamber and being axially movable therein by axially moving said shaft; and a rotatable clutch member carried by said shaft and engaging said stationary clutch member until said impeller is in a predetermined axial position relative to said impeller chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 5th day of December, 1927.

JOHN A.WINTROATH. 

